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A well-known parenting program will be offered free of charge to parents who have children diagnosed with AD/HD, in evening sessions during the third school term of 2015.
Hosted by Macquarie’s Department of Psychology to evaluate the program’s effectiveness, parents with diagnosed children between six and 12 years of age are invited to participate in five sessions with later follow up.
“We ran a similar program in 2013,” says lead researcher Julie Chesterfield, a registered psychologist and specialist teacher. “Our preliminary results suggest that when parents applied the strategies taught in the program, over a six month period, both the severity of their child’s problematic behaviour and parental stress levels were reduced.”
“Children with AD/HD generally have deficits with impulse control, which can be extremely frustrating and stressful for parents. Evaluating parenting techniques that reduce parental stress and increase parents’ ability to manage difficult behaviour in a positive manner is important to understanding which parenting strategies are effective in managing the behaviour of children with AD/HD,” says Chesterfield.
Chesterfield has had considerable experience as a classroom teacher and a learning support teacher in both public and private schools, and in private practice.
“There have been many instances where children diagnosed with AD/HD have been labelled ‘the naughty child’ and have been made to feel different from their peers and even isolated, which is very upsetting for the child and their parents. AD/HD behaviour can also be very disruptive to family life. Establishing which parenting techniques are effective is crucial to helping parents meet the challenges of raising a child with AD/HD,” Chesterfield says.
The program will be run over four evening sessions during the third school term, with an evening booster session four weeks later and anonymous follow-up questionnaires six months later. The program will be offered FREE OF CHARGE to eligible parents.
If you would like to take part, or have further queries about this study, call Julie Chesterfield (Department of Psychology, Macquarie University) on 0412 414 114 or email julie.chesterfield@students.mq.edu.au and leave your phone number.
(Source: Macquarie University)
